Set it Free
by Authoress-in-training
Summary: If you love somebody, set them free. And if they really love you, they'll come back." AU, future-fic. Justin/Juliet
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Justin Russo leans on the edge of the dark wrought-iron balcony, staring down at the New York cityscape below him. From his family's third-floor loft apartment over the Waverly Sub Station, the restaurant that they own, everything down below him looks like doll house pieces. Even from so high up, he can see the distinct neon sign for the Late Nite Bite, the sandwich shop owned by the van Heusens four blocks down. He swallows hard, choking back a fresh wave of tears.

"You okay?" a voice asks from behind him. He looks up to see his little sister Alex stepping onto the balcony behind him. Justin screws his eyes shut, willing the tears to disappear before he turns around to face Alex. If there's one thing he definitely doesn't need right now, it's Alex making fun of him.

"Yeah," he says finally, as Alex closes the sliding glass door behind her.

"You sure? Because it's not like you to sit out here brooding. That's usually my thing." Justin sighs and turns his attention back to the hustle and bustle of the city below him, as Alex walks over to the balcony edge as well.

"Seriously, Justin, what's up? You've been like this for _days_. I don't think I've seen you smile since… _oh_." Alex's smile drops as realization dawns on her, and her gaze instinctively turns to the neon sign as well. "So that's what this is all about."

"I'm sorry you're all worried about me, Alex, but I'm not going to just get over this in a day or two," Justin says.

Alex takes a deep breath, opens her mouth, then closes it again, exhaling as she does. "Justin…"

"I don't want to hear it right now, Alex," he says curtly. Justin know he'll pay for that one later, as with most things when it comes to his little sister, but he doesn't care.

Alex's eyes darken. "Fine, then. Ignore me and my efforts to try and make you feel better."

Instantly, Justin regrets snapping at Alex, especially because it seems that for once, she's actually trying to help. "I'm sorry Alex," he quickly apologizes. "I don't know what's gotten into me lately; I feel so… not myself."

"You're lovesick because of what happened to Juliet," Alex says matter-of-factly. "Simple as that."

Something about the blunt way she puts it infuriates Justin. "Easy for you to say; _you_ don't feel like your heart's been ripped out of your chest and chopped into a million tiny pieces."

"Oh, Justin." Alex drapes her arm around his neck, and while Justin's first instinct is to push her away, he doesn't. "I'm so, so sorry. We all are. We're just… worried about you. This isn't normal."

"I know. But… I can't help it. I love her, and now she's gone."

"Well, if it's any comfort to you at all, you both knew this sort of thing was something you were going to have to deal with in your relationship sooner or later," Alex says, removing her arm.

Justin's hands clench into fists at her attempt to try and shrug off the situation, but he takes a deep breath and slowly releases his fingers, little red crescent-shaped marks appearing on his palms where his nails had dug into them. "I'd like to be alone now, if you don't mind, Alex," he says calmly.

To her credit, Alex at least realizes what she's said was a mistake. "Justin, I didn't mean it like that," she says quickly, desperately trying to fix things. Her concern is evident in her eyes, even if it doesn't quite make it to her mouth and the words that come out of it.

"I know you didn't, but I'd really just like to be alone again, Alex." He turns his gaze back towards the streets, his eyes going towards the Late Nite Bite as always.

"Please, Justin, talk to me! I… I'm worried about you!" Justin whirls around in shock to see Alex's pleading face. "Before you say anything – _yes_, I did just admit to being worried about you, and _yes_, if you repeat it anywhere I will kill you. Got that straight?" Justin smiles, because that sounds more like the Alex he knows and loves (most of the time, anyways).

When Justin doesn't respond, Alex continues. "I'm sorry about what happened with you and Juliet. I know that it must be killing you, and to your credit, I understand why you don't want to be around other people right now. But the pain's never going to go away if you keep brooding in it like this. The only way you're ever going to feel better is if you try to live like everything's normal again. Moping in all your sadness isn't going to do anything."

Justin still gives no sign of hearing anything Alex has said, and she's beginning to grow impatient. "Damn it, Justin, will you listen to me here!"

Justin's resolve crumbles; he could never stay mad at Alex for too long anyway. "I was listening the whole time," he says, watching as Alex's face morphs from intense worry to a sort of stubborn anger-slash-annoyance. He sighs. "And I guess you're probably right. But it just… it hurts so much to even _think_ about her."

"Hey." Alex's voice is soft and sweet now, somewhat like it was that night at the museum when she rescued him from behind the fake scene setup. "Don't worry so much about this. Yes, it seems like the end of the world _now_, but I'm sure it won't feel this way forever. And if what you two had was really true love, you'll find each other again."

"How can you be so certain?" Justin stares at his little sister, trying to understand what she's saying. Alex is about as opposite from him as is possible for a person to be… and yet despite all her crazy scheming, tricks, pranks, mistakes, screw-ups, and magic-induced (or otherwise) catastrophes, she always manages to land on her feet. Justin would trade all of his knowledge, all of his magic power, everything he could claim as his own, for just a fraction of the confidence Alex has that everything will turn out right in the end.

"Because," she states, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. "I just know these things. Like, for example, I know that no matter how much Mom nags him, Dad will never lose those fifteen pounds that stand between him and his old spandex workout clothes. I know that Mom will never get completely used to magic, no matter how many years she's going to live with us doing it. I know that Max will never clean his room. And I know that you will be alright someday, because you're Justin Russo and you don't let these things get you down."

Alex's speech has restored some of his confidence, and despite himself, Justin cracks a grin. "You know, Alex, you just might have a future as a motivational speaker. That was some speech."

"Oh, _please_," Alex scoffs, rolling her eyes at the very idea, and Justin's grin widens because she sounds like her true self again and it makes him happy to know that some things will always stay the same. "Don't you dare mention _me_ and _career__choices_ in the same breath again, especially around Mom. She's worked up enough over the SATs and getting ready to apply to colleges next year."

Justin laughs, because again, that is _so_ Alex and he can't help that she always knows how to make him laugh. "Tell Mom and Dad I'll be down in a minute. I just need a little more time to think."

Alex nods, and as she leaves, Justin returns to his first position, leaning over the balcony.

_"__If __you __love __somebody, __set __them __free. __And __if __they __really __love __you, __they__'__ll __come __back.__"_

When Alex first told him this the night in the museum, he shrugged it off with a sarcastic remark, unable to believe that something so… illogical could be worth believing in. But now, now that he knows that listening to Alex isn't always such a bad idea, he thinks about it again.

"Juliet," he says to himself, watching as the sun starts to dip below the New York City skyline with its tall buildings. The sun is going down but the city is still awake, coming even more alive if possible. "I'm going to find you. Someday, before I die, I will find you again."

The sun sets on another brilliant New York City day, the whispers of a thousand unfulfilled promises dancing in the wind.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

_Three years later…_

A bell chimes from somewhere in the history wing of Columbia University's large, sprawling campus, releasing dozens of eighteen- to- twenty-two-year-olds from their final exam of the semester. The once-quiet halls come to life as the students file out of their classrooms into the corridors, laughing and chatting and making plans for the weekend. One in particular, though, stands out, because he is the only student not searching for friends from another class to complain about the exams they have just taken, or discuss which clubs to hit in order to blow off steam after finals. He makes his way through the growing crowds, focused solely on getting out of here and heading home.

Justin Russo, now twenty years old, cut a sharp figure, even in his worn old gray hooded sweatshirt and ripped not-on-purpose jeans. Three years have been kind to him – he attracts more than a few female stares as he cuts through the crowds. But, as usual, he never even spares a glance their way, and eventually they give up and return to their more-willing counterparts.

Fighting his way out of the history wing, Justin heads towards the subway station on 116th Street, appropriately named Columbia University Station, where he finally has a moment to stop and rest before the subway screeches into the station.

It's been three years since the fateful night at the museum. Justin, now a junior at Columbia University as a history major, has grown up to be an extremely intelligent and practical wizard and a successful monster hunter. He's even started teaching at WizTech in his spare time, a new class on the history of the magical world and how it relates to the present.

But with Max's eighteenth birthday looming in just under six months, every (far and few between) family get-together is feeling the stress of the upcoming competition. Justin and Alex always make excuses to be out of the loft when their dad is teaching Max magic lessons, and even Alex's using magic to clear the table causes the whole family to tense, an ever-present reminder that soon only one of the Russos will have their powers.

A loud screeching sound as the subway car comes to a stop at the station, jolting Justin out of his thoughts. After a twenty-minute subway ride, followed by a five-minute walk, Justin finds himself back on a familiar street.

"God, it's good to be home again," Justin says to himself, walking down the street that he used to come down every day in high school on the way home. He hasn't been back here much since he left home to go to college; it brings back too many unpleasant memories. Not much has changed – there's the ice cream parlor, and the bookstore, and vintage clothing store that Alex loved, and…

A lump the size of a baseball lodges itself in Justin's throat as he passes a very familiar building. The space was bought out and turned into a nail salon over two years ago, when the elder van Heusens moved away, but the stubborn neon sign still remains, only partially obscured by a flimsy paper sign. Swallowing his tears, Justin hurries past what used to be the Late Nite Bite and doesn't stop running full-speed until he reaches the familiar brightly-colored building of the Waverly Sub Station.

"Justin!" his mother's familiar voice calls from somewhere inside, and before he's even stepped two feet into the restaurant she's barreling towards him full-speed, nearly knocking him off his feet with a full-body hug (quite surprising, since he's grown a couple inches in the last few years and she's remained the same petite height). Her hair is streaked with new, unfamiliar gold, a nice contrast to the caramel-brown curls, and her face, lined slightly with age, is the same as it always was. A fuchsia-pink V-neck sweater and dark jeans adorn her body under the omnipresent white apron, and she teeters on spiky fuchsia pumps that nearly bring her to his height. "_Mi __hijo_, how I've missed you! Why don't you come home more often?"

"Sorry, Mom," he says, extracting himself from her tight grip. Having just been confronted with the reason he's avoided Waverly Place whenever possible, he simply replies, "You know college life. Demanding professors, lots of papers, all-nighters… the time disappears before I know where it's gone."

She looks at his face, smoothing his unruly dark hair with her manicured nails. "You look tired, _mi __hijo_. Are you sure you're getting enough sleep in college? And you're taking care of yourself? Eating right?"

"_Yes,_ Mom," he says, rolling his eyes.

"Honestly, Justin, you don't look so good. Try and relax while you're at home. Heavens know you look like you could use a hot shower, a good meal, and a long nap."

"It's just finals, Mom," he insists, making his way into the restaurant as it occurs to him that standing by the door and having this conversation probably isn't the best idea. "Everyone gets worn out around finals."

"Well, if you say so," she says, her pink-painted lips turning into a pout-frown that she'd mastered long ago, although usually used when Alex did something particularly crazy. "But worn-out or not, I miss my Justin. Can't you come home more?"

Justin hates to see Theresa upset, but at the same time, he knows that promising her that he'd try would be pointless. Because even if his overbearing schedule ever allowed time to return to Waverly Place besides the obligatory twice-a-year at Christmas and spring break, he knows in his mind that he never would. "We'll see, Mom," is all he says, bringing his bags up the spiraling staircase to his old room, which thankfully looks almost exactly the way he left it.

When he heads down the stairs, another familiar voice shrieks his name, and instantly he's enveloped in another huge hug. "Oh Justin, it's so good to see you again!" she exclaims, and even though three years have changed all of them in many ways, Harper is still mostly the same crazy girl she was in high school.

When she finally releases him, he examines her latest crazy outfit. Surprisingly, she seems to have toned down her wardrobe a bit – a simple black sweater and a bright red miniskirt over opaque black tights and red suede platform pumps, no food or animal prints or big plastic accessories anywhere in sight. Her auburn hair hangs down her back, a straight curtain nearly to her waist, topped by a black headband, and little tiny ladybug earrings dangle in her ears – the one reminder of the Harper Finkle from high school.

"Harper, stop attacking my brother," comes a sarcasm-tinged voice as familiar to him as the air he breathes. Alex sets down her bags and pulls Harper off of Justin, before reaching in and squeezing him in a tight hug herself. Three years ago he would've pushed her away – three years ago she wouldn't have done it in the first place – but now he hugs her tight and breathes in the comforting scent of her… perfume? The idea of his sister wearing perfume is hard to comprehend, but so is the image of her standing in front of him, nineteen years old, a full-grown woman.

Her long, dark curls cascade down her back like their mother's, the clipped shoulder-length bob of her late high school years re-grown out again. Her petite, curvy teenage body has been replaced by a more grown-up figure – all straight lines and sharp angles, her cheekbones more prominent and her figure more… womanly. Gone are the crazy, bright colors and flowy printed fabrics of her high school years, replaced by dark skinny jeans, a white tank top, and a brown leather motorcycle jacket. Her boots are tall and brown leather with a wedge heel, and the faint line of her wand on the side is just prominent enough for someone to see – if they know what to look for, that is. Colorful, slightly ethnic beaded jewelry adorns her neck and wrists, with long dangly earrings to match nearly brushing her shoulders.

Justin attributes part of the look change to her studying fashion design at FIT with Harper. Who'd have thought Alex Russo – the girl voted most likely to wind up saying "Would you like fries with that?" behind a McDonald's counter – would be in design school, and actually like it? Their schools being in such close proximity, Alex is the one member of his family that Justin has stayed in constant touch with. Another improbability – Justin and Alex actually getting along.

But then again, the last few years have turned a lot of pre-conceived ideas about the Russo children on their ear.

"Alex! Harper! You're here!" Theresa cries, pushing Justin away so she can hug Alex. Alex rolls her eyes, but then smiles and hugs Theresa back.

"Mrs. Russo!" Harper squeals, throwing her arms around Theresa as well. "Thank you _so_ much for letting me come home with Alex for the holidays."

"Nonsense, Harper," Theresa protests. "You know you're practically a part of the family." Harper beams, and Justin shakes his head at the thought. One crazy sister is enough; he doesn't need two. But ever since her parents' divorce, Harper has slowly but steadily become part of the Russo family… and Justin finds himself admitting she's actually not as bad now. Of course, part of the change might be that she's finally gotten over her scary crush on him and is now happily dating Zeke Rosenblatt, his best friend from high school. (It's weird, but maybe the two eccentricities balance each other out, somehow. They make each other happy, anyways, and that's all Justin cares about. At least someone should be happy, if it can't be him).

"Justin! Alex! Harper!" Jerry exclaims, bounding down the spiral staircase from the loft. "Theresa, why didn't you tell me our kids were home again?"

Theresa rolls her eyes behind Jerry's back as he hugs first Justin, then Alex, and finally Harper. "Hey Dad," Justin says warily, knowing he's due for another parental lecture on why he should come home more often.

To his delight, Jerry doesn't seem to want to lecture him today. "Justin! The Mets game is on and there's four-cheese pizza in the freezer. You want?"

Justin laughs and rolls his eyes; the children may have changed, but the Russo family elders will always be their same old selves. "Maybe later, Dad. Right now I want to catch up with–"

"Max!" Alex cries, as the door of the sub station swings open and their seventeen-year-old little brother walks in, his arms weighted down with textbooks. Max has grown into a handsome young man – like a taller, thinner version of Jerry. Of the three, Max has changed the least in these last three years. He's toned down his eccentricities and lost most of his wacky, childish sense of humor. He's also become surprisingly interested in school, although Justin attributes some of that change to his new girlfriend, Annaleigh Whitmore. Max was perhaps the least likely of all of them to be in a serious relationship, but Justin has met Annaleigh and he can't say he disapproves. Annaleigh is everything Max is not, and just what he needs. He couldn't be happier for his younger brother.

The fact that he ran out of the room as soon as he could when Max first introduced them has nothing to do with Annaleigh.

"Alex, Justin!" Max exclaims, dropping his books on the counter. "When did you guys get in? Sorry I'm so late – study group with Annaleigh."

"What were you studying? _Chemistry_?" Theresa raises an eyebrow and scolds him playfully. "Put your books away, _mi __hijo_. We do run a restaurant here."

"Alright, Mom." Max rolls his eyes but lopes up the stairs, books in tow. When he returns, he turns to Justin, "Hey Justin. Good to see you again."

"You too, little bro," Justin returns, ruffling Max's hair playfully.

"You gotta come out with me tonight. Annaleigh's parents have tickets to the opening of a new gallery at the New York Hall of Science in Queens. When I told her my family were coming home this weekend, she managed to score tickets for all of us."

"You're gonna get _Alex_ to go to a _science_ museum?" Jerry raises her eyebrows in shock.

"No you're not!" Alex exclaims from behind the sandwich counter, where she's fixing herself and Harper some snacks. "Harper and I are meeting a bunch of friends from FIT tonight. We're going salsa dancing at this new club in the West Village and then catching a late-night movie."

"I thought the point of having everyone home for Christmas vacation is that we all spend time together," Theresa sighs. "You're all barely home for a day and already you're making plans with other people."

"So?" Alex asks, snapping her fruit-flavored gum. Theresa sighs.

"Justin, you're welcome to come with us if you'd like," Harper says, helping herself to some of the fruit Alex has sliced up.

"Just leave the dorky button-downs and khakis at home," Alex adds, and out of the corner of his eye Justin can see Theresa purse her lips. "I've got some menswear samples if you need them. Oh, who am I kidding? Of course you'll need them. I'll leave them outside my door for you."

"No way," Max exclaims. "Justin won't need them – he's coming to the New York Hall of Science with me and Annaleigh." Turning to stare at his big brother with eager eyes, Max adds, "Right, Justin?"

Justin tenses, his gaze bouncing from Alex to Max. Any other time he'd choose the museum without hesitation, but…

"Um, you know, I think I'm gonna stay home with Mom and Dad tonight," Justin decides finally, and behind him he can see that Jerry and Theresa are all big smiles. "Sorry, guys, but since both of you are going out, I'm gonna stay in. I've got a ton of extra-credit assignments to catch up on, anyway."

"Only you would do extra-credit over Christmas break," Alex rolls her eyes. "Harper and I are gonna go set up upstairs. We'll see you all later. Come on, Harper." Dragging their overstuffed suitcases behind them, the two girls disappear up the staircase.

Max heads around the side towards the sandwich counter, pulling out bread and assorted sandwich fixings from the side compartments. "Why didn't you want to come with me and Annaleigh to the museum?" he asks, starting to fix his sandwich.

"It's nothing personal, Max," Justin starts, trying to figure out how to not offend his brother. "I just… really need to get cracking on those essays."

"Is it something about Annaleigh? Last time you came home, well… you kinda bolted after I introduced her."

Justin swallows the lump in his throat, unsure what to say. Annaleigh is a lovely girl, sweet and charming and funny, but she reminds him too much of _her_. "N-no… really, Max, I just want to start my assignments."

"It's fine," Max says, staring at his sandwich. Justin knows that things are actually not _fine_, as Max put it, but, unable to do anything, he just stares out the window.

"I've got a lot of homework," Max says, piling his sandwich onto a plate and snagging a bag of chips off a hanging rack. "See you later, Justin."

"Yeah… later, Max," Justin replies, watching his brother head up the stairs with his snack.

"You okay, _mi __hijo_?" Theresa asks from behind him.

"Just a little tired, that's all Mom," Justin replies.

"Well, if you're not interested, Justin, _I__'__m_ gonna go watch the Mets game," Jerry announces. "Theresa?"

"No way," she declares. "I'm cooking. Our kids might be busy little city-hoppers tonight, but they're all staying in for dinner."

"Suit yourself," Jerry says, already halfway up the stairs. "You know where everything is, right Justin?"

"Yes, Dad," he says, rolling his eyes. Justin is twenty now – he doesn't need his parents to remind him where everything is in his own house. "Go watch your game."

Jerry doesn't need to be told twice; he bolts up the stairs, Theresa laughing and following at his heels. Finally, Justin is truly alone.

Pouring himself a glass of water from a pitcher, Justin wonders why he even bothered coming home at all. Clearly, his family functions just fine without him. And staying at Columbia would have been far better for him in the long run.

Not to mention, there's no reminders of _her_ at Columbia.

* * *

"You _sure_ I can't persuade you to stay any longer?" Theresa begs. "School doesn't start for another couple days – and you're only fifteen minutes away by subway."

"No, Mom, I have to get back. The Columbia library is far greater than the New York Public Library, and there's a couple books I need for a research project."

"I'm happy that you're so dedicated to your studies, sweetie, but do you really have to? It seems like we just got you and Alex back, and now you're leaving us again."

In hindsight, perhaps planning his return trip to Columbia on the same day Alex decided she _had_ to go back to FIT to meet with someone about designing costumes for the student play wasn't the best idea. But there's only so much stewing in Memory Lane that Justin can take.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't exactly plan this. If it helps, I promise I'll try to come home more often." After the awkwardness of the first day, Justin actually managed to enjoy himself with his family. They had a wonderful Christmas together, and the Sub Station is still strewn with the remains of Alex's spontaneous New Year's party from the night before.

"Alright, honey," Theresa says, smoothing down Justin's hair. "I love you."

"Love you too, Mom."

The walk to the subway station is uneventful, as is the subway ride back to campus. After dropping off his meager duffel back at his dorm room – and a quick chat with his roommate about their respective holidays – Justin gathers his research and notes to take to the library. He knows the route by heart now, having paced it so many times before, so it's not hard to let his mind drift to other things.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry." Justin looks down to see all of his research on the floor, and a pretty blond girl kneeling down picking it up. "I can't believe I wasn't looking."

"It's no trouble," Justin says, automatically bending down to help her. Something about her voice is strangely familiar…

She hands him a pile of his papers, and as he looks up to get a glimpse of her face, his heart stops.

Staring back at him are the soulful brown eyes of Juliet van Heusen.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Juliet?" Justin stares at her in disbelief.

"Justin?" Juliet's face looking back at him is an almost mirror image of his own, framed with shock and disbelief. Three years haven't changed her at all (of course; she's a vampire) – she looks just as breathtakingly beautiful as the day he lost her. Same dark blond hair, now pulled into two loose messy braids; same angular, heart-shaped face; same petite, curvy figure; same magnetic chocolate eyes.

"What happened to you? I mean, how did you escape?"

Juliet looks left and right, taking in the crowded, bustling hallway – evidently, Justin wasn't the only Columbia student who came back early to get some studying in. "Is there a place we can talk? In private, I mean?"

"My room," Justin says without thinking. "Follow me."

Justin's roommate is still there when they get back, but it doesn't take much to convince him to leave. "So this is the infamous Juliet," Scott remarks, staring at her. Pulling Justin aside, Scott whispers in his ear, "How on Earth did you score such a babe?"

Justin stiffens, and thankfully Scott doesn't press the issue anymore. "See you later, man," Scott says as he walks out the door, winking as he does.

" 'So this is the infamous Juliet'? Just what have you been saying about me, Justin?" Juliet asks from her cat-like perch on his bed. Already she looks perfectly at home, and Justin imagines her in that same position, glowing in the early-morning light, his sheets wrapped loosely around her body…

"Hello? Justin? Earth to Justin?" Juliet snaps her fingers in front of his face, and he is startled from his daydream, embarrassed at having been fantasizing about her. "Am I going to get an answer?"

"Freshman year, during orientation, we all got drunk and played I Never. Someone said 'I never fell in love' and… well, the whole story came out. Not about you being a vampire, of course."

"Of course," Juliet agrees, and he can't decide if she's mocking him or not.

Justin sits down at his desk, since Juliet seems to have claimed his bed and he's not sure if it would be too awkward to sit next to her. "So… how did you escape the mummy?"

"A monster hunter caught him a couple months ago. When he was put in Monster Jail, the spell on his minions was broken. All the minions were rounded up to have their memories erased – since most of them were mortals – but I ran away. If they'd found me, they would've put me in Monster Jail as well. I found my parents living in Europe, and I've been staying with them for a while."

"Are your parents okay?" Justin thinks back to having to tell the van Heusens that their daughter was now an eternal mind-slave to a mummy. It was… not a pleasant experience, to say the least.

"Dad was… well, _Dad_, about the whole thing. I just ignored him. And Mom just seemed happy I wasn't still a mind-slave."

"So… if you found your parents again, why did you come back to New York? And what are you doing in Columbia?"

"I… wanted to see you. You always talked about applying to Columbia for college, so I assumed you'd be here. So… I applied too."

The fact of her last statement hits him hard. "You mean… you're going to Columbia?"

"Well… y-yeah. I was kinda hoping we could… that we would…" Seeing his confused face, Juliet stands up and heads for the door, blinking back what look like tears. "But if you don't want to… I mean–"

Before she has the chance to get out another word, Justin has crossed the length of his room to stand next to her and wraps his arms around her in a tight embrace, crushing her against his body. She rests her head in the crook of his shoulder as he buries his head in her hair, breathing in her sweet vanilla perfume. It's like he's come home.

Finally he releases her, still keeping his hands on her upper arms as to not let her go completely. "You still love me?" she asks tentatively, as if she's scared to know his answer.

"I never, _ever_ stopped," Justin promises, pulling her back into his arms again. She leans her head against his chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart.

"Those years with the mummy… they were the scariest time of my life. And I've lived for over 2,000 years," Juliet confides. "I haven't felt emotions that strong since I was human. Even being a vampire with a soul isn't like being human – you can still feel emotions, but only a fraction of what you feel when you're human. But when I couldn't be with you… my heart physically hurt."

"I never stopped thinking about you," Justin replies, squeezing her even tighter against his chest. "I tried hunting down the mummy in high school, but I just kept hitting dead ends. And then when I got accepted into Columbia, my parents said they thought I should give the whole finding-the-mummy thing a rest and concentrate on my studies. But I never, ever, _ever_ stopped missing you, or loving you."

"My Justin," she whispers, resting her head on his shoulder.

"My Juliet," he responds, tracing little circles on the smooth skin of her neck.

Justin tilts her chin up, so her warm brown eyes meet his clear gray ones. "I love you," he whispers, staring deep into her eyes, before he brings his lips down to meet her own.

It's like their first kiss all over again. Juliet's lips are soft and sweet, and she responds to his kiss with startling passion, sliding her arms around his neck to bring him closer to her. When he nibbles slightly on her bottom lip, asking for entrance, a low moan escapes her mouth as it parts to let him in, their tongues playfully wrestling for dominance.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, Justin pulls Juliet over towards his bed. Their lips still fiercely connected, he reaches for the bottom of her shirt, tugging it upwards.

Instantly, Juliet backs out of his arms. "Justin, what are you doing?"

"Don't tell me you don't want this."

"Of course I want this – it's all I could think about ever since the mummy's spell was broken. But Justin… I could hurt you."

"Juliet, I know this could be tricky because you're a vampire," he says, reaching for her hand. "But I don't want you any less. And I know you won't hurt me."

"Justin, I don't think you completely understand. If anything happened… if I lost control for even a second… I could _kill_ you, Justin."

"No, you won't, Juliet," he insists.

"How can you be so certain?" she asks. "I don't think you really understand just what's at stake. This is your _life_ we're talking about here."

"I know you," he continues, disregarding her last statement. "You couldn't hurt a fly. There's no way you'd kill me."

"But that's what I'm saying – if I lost control, it wouldn't be _me_ anymore, Justin. I'd be… something else."

"I trust you," he says, stroking his thumb over her palm gently. "Please, Juliet? You're all I can think about, all I dream about. I've waited for this for so long." His eyes are pleading, and she can feel her resolve wavering.

"Justin…"

"I thought I had lost my chance three years ago, when I let you leave with the mummy. Now… I found you again." His fingers trail up and down her exposed arm, causing her to shiver at his gentle touch. "I _need_ you, Juliet."

"If I… if I hurt you in any way, you have to tell me," she starts, reaching for his hand and interlocking her fingers with his own.

"I promise."

He cups his hands around her face, bringing his lips down to hers again, and slowly, gently, pushes her down onto his bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Justin wakes first. It's early evening, and the moon is just starting to rise. His roommate Scott has thankfully had the sense to find alternative plans for the evening, and Justin flushes at the thought that Scott might've predicted that they would do this.

"Mmm… Justin," Juliet moans, her eyelids fluttering open, as he starts to get out of bed. "Don't go." Her eyes are still half-closed, and her arms are curled around his waist, her head resting on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. She seems to like doing that, he's noticed.

Justin smiles, and settles back down onto the mattress, laying his head against the pillow. "Anything for you, my love." He places a gentle kiss on her forehead, and she smiles contentedly and wraps her arms tighter around him.

The two lie there for a while, snuggled tightly in each other's arms and enjoying the warmth and passion of their embrace. Finally, Justin breaks the silence with a question. "You said that being a vampire with a soul isn't like being completely human, right?"

"Yeah," Juliet mumbles, looking up. "Why do you ask?"

Justin starts to blush before he can even get a word out. "It's… kind of an awkward topic."

Juliet sits up more fully, leaning back against the headboard, and Justin follows, still keeping his arms around her. "Lemme guess… you want to know if I felt anything after… what we just did?"

The faint pink glow on Justin's cheeks deepens to bright red, and Juliet just giggles. "Believe me, I get that a lot – at least, from people who know I'm a vampire with a soul." Justin stiffens at her simple phrasing, and the thought that she has done this with probably countless other people in her years alive.

"I really just thought of that a few minutes ago," he explains quickly, trying to control his flaming cheeks. "I mean, you were saying earlier that even with a soul, you don't feel emotions as strongly as humans do, so I wondered if…"

Juliet wraps her arms around his neck and pulls herself up to meet his lips, cutting him off with a searing kiss. "There is no question about it – that was _definitely_ my best experience ever, in all my 2,196 years alive. You do something to me, Justin… I can't quite put my finger on it. When I'm with you… I feel almost human again."

Justin feels a warm feeling in his chest, something akin to the feeling he felt when Juliet first told him she loved him. A proud, beaming smile spreads across his face unbidden, and he kisses her gently on the forehead as she snuggles deeper into his arms. "I love you, Juliet."

"I love you too, Justin."

"I wish we could just stay like this forever. Wouldn't that be nice?" Justin remarks idly, playing with a lock of her long golden hair. "Too bad I have to have a roommate."

"Well I don't," Juliet says. "I bought a little apartment near campus. It's tiny, but there's room enough for one more person… if you want to move in…"

Justin's face lights up at the prospect. Move in with Juliet, his sweet, adorable girlfriend, who he loved and had just lost his virginity to, in her undoubtedly cute and cozy little apartment? No more cramped, noisy dorms; no more annoying roommate with his steady stream of hookups always coming by their room when Justin was trying to study? "I'd love to," Justin replies, bending down to kiss her again. "When should I bring over my stuff?"

* * *

"Justin! This is a nice surprise!" Theresa exclaims when he walks through the front door of the Sub Station. "I certainly wasn't expecting you this weekend – did something bad happen?"

"Something _wonderful_ happened," Justin smiles, as Theresa stares at him confusedly.

"Hey Mrs. Russo," Juliet says, walking into the restaurant behind him right on cue. "Where should I put our bags?"

Justin watches as Theresa's face morphs from mother-like concern for him, to confusion, to shock, to pure joy and elation, then back to confusion again. "But… I thought you couldn't find the mummy?"

"Some other Monster Hunter caught him about a year ago," Juliet says smoothly, dropping their suitcases and coming to stand next to Justin, who wraps one arm around her shoulders. "The spell on his minions was broken when they put him in Monster Jail, and I escaped before they could find me and put me there also. I've been living with my parents in Europe for a while, but eventually I couldn't stay away from New York – from Justin – any longer. So I came back and enrolled in Columbia, where we just happened to bump into each other the other day." At this, Juliet turns and smiles at Justin. "We're going to move in together, and Justin convinced me to stop here and see all your family before he brings his stuff to my apartment. Are the rest of the Russos home yet?"

"Jerry's upstairs, watching a sports game, and Max is out with Annaleigh. Oh – and Alex came home this weekend too. I think she said she left something here last weekend and she really needed it back for some project or something. Anyway, she's up in her room." Just then a fresh wave of customers trickles into the Sub Station, and Theresa jumps into action. "Sorry, guys – I guess the lunch rush isn't quite over yet. If you'd like to, pull on an apron and help me; otherwise, you can go find Alex. I think she's upstairs in her room. Oh – and you can share Justin's room for the weekend, I guess."

"Well that was… easier than I thought it would be," Juliet remarks, bending down to pick up her bags.

"Mm-hmm," Justin responds idly, wrapping his arms around her from behind and pulling her against his chest, her head fitting snugly into the crook of his neck.

"Mmm…" Juliet sighs, nestling deeper into his embrace. "My Justin…"

Just as Justin is about to lean down and kiss his beautiful vampire girlfriend, Alex barrels down the stairs, nearly bumping into them. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," she immediately starts to apologize, but then does a double take as she looks closer. "J-J-Juliet?"

"Hey, Alex," Juliet smiles, breaking free from Justin's arms to accept Alex's somewhat stunned hug. "Good to see you again. You look nice."

"But– what– how– I– you– _Justin_!" Alex screeches.

Justin laughs; it isn't often he gets to see Alex like this anymore – confused and unsure of herself, needing to turn to _him_ for help. "Long story short, another Monster Hunter caught the mummy, and she was let go from the mind control."

"Well, good for you two," Alex smiles. "At least _one_ of us should be happy in a relationship, if it can't be me." Her face sours, and Justin knows she's thinking about Mason Grabeck, the handsome British werewolf she dated for part of her junior year in high school and most of her senior year, who unfortunately had to move back to England at the end of senior year.

"Don't worry, Alex," Justin finds himself saying. "If it's really meant to be between you and Mason, you'll find each other again. After all, that's what happened with me and Juliet."

"You really think so?" Alex's eyes light up at his words.

"Of course I do. That's what you told me, after all."

Alex beams. "Thank you, Justin," she says, squeezing him in a tight hug. "I hope you two are happy together," she calls over her shoulder, as she races out the front door of the restaurant.

"Your sister is sweet," Juliet remarks, as they pick up their bags and head upstairs to Justin's room. "Who's this Mason guy she was talking about? Sounds like she really loves him."

"He's a… a werewolf, from England. They dated for most of her junior and senior year, but then he had to go back to England. She wanted to go with him, but… you know, I don't remember why she couldn't. Anyway, then she got into FIT, and we all thought she'd gotten over it, but I guess she's still not over him."

"A British werewolf named Mason?" Juliet asks. "I knew a British werewolf named Mason – about 300 years ago, actually. Doubt it's the same one, though."

"Probably not," Justin laughs. "Still… sometimes I worry about her. I mean, she was _really_ torn up about it at first – and the FIT news, as great as it was for her… well, I just don't think it was really enough to make her forget about it."

"Don't worry about your sister," Juliet insists. "If there's one thing that Alex Russo is, it's strong."

"You're right," he reluctantly admits, kissing her on the cheek. "Oh, what did I ever do without you?"

"I don't know," she giggles, and he swats her playfully on the shoulder, before leaning down to kiss her again, long and sweet and passionate.

"I love you, Juliet," he whispers, as they finally break the kiss.

"I love you too, Justin," she echoes. "God, it's good to be home."

"But… this isn't your home," Justin says warily.

Juliet smiles. "Yes it is," she says. "Wherever you are, that's home. You – you're my home."

* * *

**Author's Note: So for those of you that remember when this was supposed to be a little longer, all I can say is I'm sorry. I tried to make it work as a longer fic, but eventually I just lost my inspiration. So this is where it ends now - just a cute little story about Justin and Juliet finding each other. (Of course, considering all the twists and turns the Wizards writers have thrown at us, I don't know what to make of things anymore, but whatever.)**

**For any newcomers: first, I'm sorry for that paragraph you won't understand. And second, I hope you liked it! Reviews are much appreciated - this part I'm leaving up is still work I'm quite proud of, even if I'm not continuing it.**

**I love you all!**

**- Authoress**


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